Ruger Security 9 or S&W SD9-VE

Which Ruger?

I don’t think the Ruger is going to be better than the S&W in terms of longevity or reliability. Keep in mind the Ruger Security 9 is a fairly new design, whereas the SDVE has a proven track record.
That being said, if the Ruger shoots better for you it’s worth purchasing.

The only thing that matters in the age of wonder 9s is how well you shoot the gun. Some prefer flat top glocks for better target acquisition, others prefer a neon front sight. It’s all personal preference. I have owned both, but I kept the Ruger.

357smallbore said:

I have the SD9-VE. I like it a lot. I shot the Ruger yesterday and really liked the feel of the gun. I really liked the trigger, much better then my S&W. What I dont like is the manual safety on the Ruger. I paid $299 for the S&W 4 years ago. Shot a crap load of ammo through it and it's neved missed a beat.
I see the Ruger can be had for $299 as well from Academy today.
I know I can get a new trigger for the S&W. But is the Ruger the better weapon? Would the Ruger be the better pistol in the long run?

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The S&W SD9-VE looks much more sturdy to me. I'm sure the Security-9 is a good pistol but I'd keep the S&W.

I would not trade a tried and true gun for something new just because. Get an Apex trigger and press on with the S&W, or add the Ruger to your safe and shoot it for a while until you are confident it's a good replacement.

In this flooded market, neither gun will fetch much on resale these days, so for me, makes no sense to sell. Just my opinion...

I had the S&W in the 40 caliber version. It was reliable, but the trigger was pretty bad.

My S&W M&P 45acp is a way better pistol. It's a police trade-in that cost me $229 plus whatever. It came with the box, two or three magazines, and the two or three other sizes of grips.

There are good police trade-in pistols available that are way better than the two the OP mentioned, for the same money or less.

My Sig P229 40 caliber was $280 plus whatever, for instance.

I don't think the Ruger would be a better pistol in the long run. You might also want to check out the M&P 2.0 Compact with either the 4 or 3.6 inch barrel. I have seen where they go for under $400 at online sellers. That is a really sweet pistol. Of course the Apex mod for your SD9 would be worth trying too if you want to improve the trigger.

https://grabagun.com/smith-and-wesson-mp9-m2-0-cmpct-9mm-15-1-4-fs.html

My opinion is that the Ruger Security 9 will be the better choice by a wide margin. The SW SD-9 had lots of growing pains and for most people is still an "iffy" gun. For most of us the price of the gun is really a small part of the cost of shooting, so do not let price be a major factor. I would strongly suggest you look at the Glock 19X, 45 or 48. Cranik also has a new model that will have a list price of $299 that will most likely be a winner.

If you’re looking to carry it, you might like the new Security 9 Compact.

take note that the Security 9 is not a stainless slide and in hot humid conditions will require a butt load of maintenance to keep it rust free, the S&W can soak up your sweaty funk with very little maintenance to speak of.
on the other hand the Ruger will shoot circles around the S&W

I have the S&W SD9 with black slide on gray frame. It's accurate and reliable. I have no complaints, especially what I paid for it.
Unless you are having problems with your SD9 and it sounds like you aren't, keep it. That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy a Ruger Security 9.
The one thing better than having a perfectly working pistol is having a second perfectly working pistol.

"The one thing better than having a perfectly working pistol is having a second perfectly working pistol."

Amen. Give us a chance; we will enable you.

357smallbore said:

Gonna get the Apex kit and keep the SD

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Wise choice, i have a sd40ve with the apex kit and polished everything with toothpaste to smooth them out, you also can use the metal sights from the M&P line

357smallbore said:

Gonna get the Apex kit and keep the SD

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Good luck! Let us know how you like the new trigger. I've heard it really makes that gun nice to shoot!

The S&W 9ve is almost identical to the glock 19. Size weight dimensions etc. i had both and even carried the glock in the desantis owb leather holster molded for the smith. I found the smith to be more accurate on side by side tests using identical ammo. I believe it also held 16 vs 15. The lifetime warranty edged out the glock but ruger also stands behind their products so that is a push. Nothing wrong with adding a ruger but I certainly wouldn't feel compelled to do it because the smith was inferior. The ruger will be redundant.

357smallbore said:

Gonna get the Apex kit and keep the SD

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That should work fine. The Apex kit makes a huge difference and really brings the trigger up to par with most other factory pistol triggers. I will say though that though they haven't been terrible (and have improved with break-in), I have experienced a few more jams than normal with my SD40VE and my SW357V.

$299 for a Security9? Spend the Money on a SR9C and get a whole lot more gun for the money. Get a 17 round Magazine with it and you basically have a full size gun. You will get a extremely smooth shooter and a heck of a robust build quality. I saw one at my LGS for $299 and seriously thought about getting one for a spare. Just a really nice well built gun.

Keep your springs. You may want to go back to some of them afterwards. For example: if you get light primer strikes, you would want to use the OEM Striker/Firing pin spring.

mongoslow said:

take note that the Security 9 is not a stainless slide and in hot humid conditions will require a butt load of maintenance to keep it rust free, the S&W can soak up your sweaty funk with very little maintenance to speak of.
on the other hand the Ruger will shoot circles around the S&W

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I like the Security 9 pistols, but since I live in FL that would be an issue for me